Lovingly restoring the worst bike I've ever ridden. - Page 15

Kevan Garrett · 01-10-2011, 10:41 AM

Hey Mullet.

Loving this thread, love the build, will glad sit around with you and hand you tools as needed, and help with the beer drinking. I am there for you.

Keep the faith and keep up the great report.

Kevan

(subscribed!)

Mullet5 · 01-10-2011, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treadless

There are many ways to deal with the problem at hand and best fix for you is one that you can afford and easily complete yourself. Oh yea, and enjoy doing.

Love that! I'll be thinking about that line every time I do something really half-assed.

mark883 · 01-10-2011, 02:04 PM

Be aware that the Wall Street Journal recently published an article about Minsks and Vietnam.

Wall Street

Rich bankers will soon be driving up the prices of these.
Sell out, and you'll be rich!

What's hilarious is that in the print version they mislabeled a pic of a Dnepr as a Minsk.

WB-PDX · 01-10-2011, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark883

Be aware that the Wall Street Journal recently published an article about Minsks and Vietnam.

You have an interesting definition of recently: "SEPTEMBER 4, 2009"

audigirl · 01-13-2011, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mullet5

Did a little bit of cleaning up in the garage today, hopefully later this week I can start cutting/smashing/ruining the head tube. I am really motivated to work on the Minsk for some reason. I just spent 20 minutes looking at Google image search results for "Minsk motorcycle".

Yes, please get back to building the bikes! I have been spending the last few nights watching videos from the trip and I can't wait to hear the bikes run again.

__________________

'81 Suzuki GS 450 E
'77 Kawasaki KE 100
Minsk 125

Mullet5 · 02-24-2011, 08:52 AM

I am just going to write this post as if it hasn't been almost two months since my last update. Here it goes...

After many "you can DO IT" conversations from friends, relatives, and people on the forums, I became convinced that I could fix the head tube of the Minsk myself. The plan was to cut off the metal strap that had been welded around the front of the head tube, clean everything up, then try to pound it back into shape with a mallet, then weld a new strap back on. Then I would be able to fill the imperfections with JB Weld or something similar. Surely, this would work.

Beginning to cut the strap off

From Minsk build

Strap removed!

From Minsk build

This is where it all went down the drain... When I cleaned it all up, I could see that it was much worse than I realized. Several major cracks, and worse, a huge ledge that had been sort of forged into the inside of the neck by the O.D. of the race.

From Minsk build

I tried to tap on it with a hammer a bit, but I could tell that the cracks were only going to get worse, and I was not going to be able to undo that ledge. So the frame is back over at Motolab with Derek, and he is going to... Do something. I'll keep you all updated, and annoy Derek by following him around with a camera and asking stupid questions.

dilandau · 02-24-2011, 09:06 AM

well, at least now you know what that metal strap was doing on there!

Hughlysses · 02-24-2011, 09:21 AM

Glad to see you back at it. Looks like previous work has been done on that Minsk following the "get a bigger hammer" philosophy.

The next stage should be very interesting- don't give up!

fishkens · 02-24-2011, 01:04 PM

I just don't get why you call this the "worst bike I've ever ridden".

Other than a minor nick or two it appears to be tip-top.

Glad to see that you're back at it.

istandalone · 02-24-2011, 01:49 PM

Nothing a little money and time won't fix!!

bmwhacker · 02-24-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by istandalone

Nothing a little money and time won't fix!!

Correction; A lot of money and a little time...

....Ahhh, we all love our personal money pits

matman1972 · 02-24-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwhacker

Correction; A lot of money and a little time...

....Ahhh, we all love our personal money pits

Shouldn't be that expensive to turn another steering neck and get it welded on.

Nemosengineer · 02-24-2011, 06:11 PM

When I have a bent motorcycle frame (there have been a few

), I use the services of this frame shop (see link), the neck repair/replacement is a piece of cake for this place. Its not cheap but it will come back straight and true.

http://www.drjohnsmfs.com/index.shtml

: Mike

camgregus · 02-24-2011, 06:37 PM

I'm thinking that I know welders that could do that in their backyard....

matman1972 · 02-24-2011, 06:53 PM

That's what I was thinking. When we built dad's trike, we tacked everything together in our homebuilt "Jig", but since the wall diameter on the frame tubing was 3/8", we had a welder come finish up. Was very reasonable.

01-10-2011, 10:41 AM	#211
Kevan Garrett Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Apr 2009 Oddometer: 171	Love this thread. Hey Mullet. Loving this thread, love the build, will glad sit around with you and hand you tools as needed, and help with the beer drinking. I am there for you. Keep the faith and keep up the great report. Kevan (subscribed!)

02-24-2011, 09:06 AM	#217
dilandau Studly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2009 Location: oakland, ca Oddometer: 584	well, at least now you know what that metal strap was doing on there! __________________ morini 3.5 strada & sport, fz600, 74 eldo

02-24-2011, 09:21 AM	#218
Hughlysses Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2004 Location: Summerville, SC Oddometer: 2,644	Glad to see you back at it. Looks like previous work has been done on that Minsk following the "get a bigger hammer" philosophy. The next stage should be very interesting- don't give up! __________________ 2007 Buell XB12X Ulysses 1983 Honda VT500FT Ascot

02-24-2011, 06:11 PM	#223
Nemosengineer Hair Ball Joined: Dec 2007 Location: San Diego Oddometer: 859	When I have a bent motorcycle frame (there have been a few), I use the services of this frame shop (see link), the neck repair/replacement is a piece of cake for this place. Its not cheap but it will come back straight and true. http://www.drjohnsmfs.com/index.shtml : Mike __________________ "An ill-assorted collection of poorly-matching parts, forming a distressing whole."

02-24-2011, 06:37 PM	#224
camgregus riding gently now Joined: Feb 2006 Location: on the banks of the mighty mississippi, AR side Oddometer: 2,946	I'm thinking that I know welders that could do that in their backyard.... __________________ got to get it on the good foot

01-10-2011, 02:04 PM	#213
mark883 Holding up Michoagán Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Buckeyeland Oddometer: 1,390	Be aware that the Wall Street Journal recently published an article about Minsks and Vietnam. Wall Street Rich bankers will soon be driving up the prices of these. Sell out, and you'll be rich! What's hilarious is that in the print version they mislabeled a pic of a Dnepr as a Minsk.

02-24-2011, 01:04 PM	#219
fishkens Further... Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Seattle, WA Oddometer: 5,146	I just don't get why you call this the "worst bike I've ever ridden". Other than a minor nick or two it appears to be tip-top. Glad to see that you're back at it.

02-24-2011, 01:49 PM	#220
istandalone Adventurer Joined: Jul 2010 Oddometer: 38	Nothing a little money and time won't fix!!

02-24-2011, 06:53 PM	#225
matman1972 Lost in the woods. Joined: May 2010 Location: Georgia Oddometer: 713	That's what I was thinking. When we built dad's trike, we tacked everything together in our homebuilt "Jig", but since the wall diameter on the frame tubing was 3/8", we had a welder come finish up. Was very reasonable. __________________ Matt 2000 ural- The wagon Queen Family Truckster 1982 fxb parts of one all over the place at the moment Estamos copados Confusion to our enemies.Zaphod for president!!

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